Slide buckle



Aug. 21, 1934. I R. J. HODGE 1,97l,l40

sLIpE BUCKLE Filed May 9, 1935 Patented Aug. 21, 1934 f FicE" I `1,971,14o SLIDE BUCKLE Robert J. Hodge, West Haven, Conn., assignor to The American Euckle Company, West Haven,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticu't I Application May 9, 1933,:Serial No. 670 ,175

5 Claims. (ol. 241-184) This invention 'relates to slide buckles, particularly such buckles as includea pivoted clamping plate or lever.

In such buckles as now generally constructed, wherein the buckle rame is composed of a continuous length of material, usually wire, bent to desired form, the ends of this length of material are connected by means ,of a sleeve or by the clamping plate or lever. However, it has been found desi'able to provide in buckles of this character rigidity and streng th which cannot be obtained -by these methods of connecting the ends of the length of the material, and one object of 'this invention is to provide a slide buckle in which the ends of the length of material are directly and rigidly connected with each other to formacontinuous, uninterrupted one-piece frame. i i s e Another object of the invention isto apply the pivoted clamping plate or lever to a member or bar of this frame in such amanner that it may bepositioned axially thereon by means of a pro- `tuberance or projection forming a part of such rame member. I

e A further object of the inventionis to make possiblethe use of a clamping plate or lever of a single predetermined appropriate width with slide buckles-of variouswidthsby-virtue of the positioning of the clamping plate or lever in the manner described. r

The inVention-comprises -a slide buckle having ,a'frame composed ;of a'single piece or length of "material bent to appropriate form.: and including a bar in which the ends of the piece of material are arranged in abtting relation and-'appropriately joined together -oninteroonnected 'to make the fra-me of umnterruptedone piece construction, and a clamping 'plateorlever pivotally =applied to the bar and providedwith meansfor 40 cooperation with'a protuberanee or projecton formed on the bar, preferably at the point of junction of the ends-of the pece'of material `formingthe -frame, as described,- for locating the clamping plate 'or lever axially of the bar and hence laterally of the slide buckle, all as will be -explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.-

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts aresimilarly designated, Figure l is a front 'overall suspender strap with a slide 'buckle, vhavinglthe characteristics oi a combined buckle and button: loop applied thereto in operative position.` Figgz isarontyiew otthecombined Slide buckle and buttonloop of Fig. 1 dtached :4

and with the clamping 'plateorlever raised. Fig. 3 is a back view of the buckle as illustratedin Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the buckle rame. Fig. 5 is a View of the clamping plate or lever before it is bent for application to the top bar of the buckle. Fig. 6 'is an enlarged 'fragmentary sectional elevation showing the 'top bar of the buckle with the clamping plateor lever in pre! liminary bent formpartially applied thereto. Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing the clamping plate or lever in completedjpivotally attached condition. Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fg. 1 but illustrating a slide buckle of greater Width-than that illustrated in Fig. l and omitting 'the button loop, a button loop otconventional type being shown applied to the looped end of thestrap.- Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig.

9 but illustrating a different mode of threading ,75 or attaching the strap to the slide buckle. Fig ;1'1 is a View similar-to Fig. 2, butillustrating the slide buckle of Fig. 8. V r

i Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, it will be seen that thecombinedslidebuckle and button loop illustrated therein is formed of-a *single piece of material, such as relatively tstii wire, bent to such formes to provide a buttonloop 1, abottom bar comprising the portions ;2,2 which are connected With the loop 1, a clividedintermediate bar comprising the bends- 3, 3,` "the ends of which ;are spaced apart as indicatedat A, and a top bar 5 whichjncludes the ends ofthe pieceof material of which the frame is formed appropriately joined; as by butt welding to proi duce an; uninterrupted, integral',` rigid .frame. ;Where the ende of the wireare joined intthe top bar 5, aprotuberance or projectiont, preferably of annularform, is produced; The arrangement ofathe top, intermediate and bottom bars -is such as to provide between themsuitable spaces for the reeeptionof a Strap.

The clamping plate or lever'is; formed from a blank otsheetmetal, or other appropriate material, substantially of the form illustratedin Fig. 5, F; ;so shaped at one edge as, to provide a fingerpiece i 7 of ornamental and attractive contour, and hav- ;ing its opposite edge provided with clamping teeth 8. In -its central'longitudinal portion and i sbstantially centrallyof its longitudinal vertical .1105 View ;of a ragment of a strap,- such as a fabric i\ axis the plate is formed with a slot 9.' ,.'I?h.is'plate i is' preliminarily bent' transversely substantially :to u 'shape, as-illustrated in Fig. 6, with itsslot 9 1 lyingacrossthe bend 10, and when the plate has e itsbend ,10movedn 0 .en ag ment withthe t '331110 bar 5 of the buckle frame, and is struck down, as indicated at 11, Fig. 7, to embrace the top bar, the walls of the slot 9 will embrace the protuberance or projection 6 and will locate the plate axially of the top bar 5 and hence laterally of the buckle frame. As thus assembled the toothed portions of the plate will stand ofi from the body of the plate, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to present the teeth in position effectively to engage the strap. In order that the clamping plate or lever may conform approximately to the curve of the strap' 12 when the latter is threaded through the buckle, it is curved as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. .i

In order that the slide buckle may be given-a good hold upon the strap 12, particularly after the strap has been laundered and has become relatively flimsy or soft, the intermediate bar formed by the bends 3, and portions of the button loop 1, maybe serrated, grooved or otherwise appropriately roughened upon both sides, as

indicated at 13, or substantially in the manner disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 624,566, filed July 25, 1932 (Patent No. 1,936,057, granted November 21, 1933). i

As hereinbefore indicated, it is' intended that the ends of the wire be joined substantially centrally of the top bar 5 by butt-welding, preferably by electric butt-welding in a well-known manner, and the characteristics of the welding process make it possible to control the annular extension of the projection orprotuberance 6 to such degree as to make the projection or protuberance effective for cooperation with the walls of the slot 9 of the clamping plate or lever to prevent undue shifting of the latter laterally of the buckle.

Where the slide buckle takes the form of a combined buckle and button loop as illustrated in Fig. 1, the strap 12 is threaded through it, in the customary manner, by passing the strap end 14 through the space' provided between the top bar 5 and the divided intermediate bar 3, 3 from back to front, and then between the intermediate bar and the bottom bar 2 from front to back, so that it underlies the button loop 1. With the strap thus threaded, the slide buckle may be adjusted longitudinally thereof, and when appropriate adjustment is obtained, the clamping plate `or lever may be turned to the position illustrated in Flg. 1, and in this turning its teeth '8 'will impinge upon the strap and force the same into intimate engagement with the intermediate bar 3, 3, and the serrated or roughened surface thereof, to

'hold the buckle in fixed position on the strap.

The simple slide buckle illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, is the same, so far as its novel structural features are concerned, as the combined buckle and button loop just described. It

is formed of a single length of material, preferably relatively stiff 'wire so bent as to provide a bottombar 15, a divided intermediate bar formed by the bends 16, 16, the ends of which are spaced apart at 17, and a top bar 18 which includes the protuberance or projection 6' formed by the joining of the ends of the wire and serving the same purpose as the protuberance or projection 6 in locating the clamping lever or plate axially of the ly described, and is adapted for cooperation with a wider strap 19, the plate or lever is properly located axially of the top bar 18 and properly functions with respect to the strap and to the divided intermediate bar 16, 16 by virtue of the engagement of the walls of its slot 9 With the protuberance or projection 6'.

This is an important characteristic of the invention. Due to the fact that the protuberance or projection 6 or 6' effectively positions or centers the clamping plate or lever laterally with respect to the buckle by its cooperation with the slot 9 of the clamping plate or lever, it will be apparent that only one size and type of clamping plate or lever need be provided for buckles of various Widths, and that, therefore, one type and size of clamping plate or lever will serve, and the manufacturing cost of such buckles is measurably reduced.

Moreover, by directly uniting the ends of the piece 'of material of which the frame is formed and thus dispensing with sleeves or other applied connecting means, the number of parts used in constructing the buckle is reduced, the assembling operation simplified, and the cost of production lessened.

The bottom bar 15 and the divided intermediate bar 16, 16 of the simple slide buckle of Figs. 8 to 11, are preferably provided, on their fronts and backs, with serrated, grooved or otherwise appropriately roughened surfaces for the purpose of giving the slide buckle a better hold upon the strap, as previously-described.

The strap 19.may be threaded through the slide buckle as illustrated in Fig. 9, or its end may be provided with a 1oop'2O connected with the divided intermediate bar by passing aportion of the loop 20 over one portion 16 of the intermediate bar and thereafter engaging the -other portion of 'the loop with the other portion 16 of the intermediate bar in a well known manner.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention makes possible the production of a onepiece continuous slide buckle frame of a number of desired types, two of which only are illustrated, provided with a clamping plate or lever pivotally attached to the buckle by bending it around and into engagement with a selected bar thereof and located axially of such bar, and hence laterally of the buckle, and thereby centered thereon, by engagement of means on the plate or lever with a protuberance or projection provided at the junction of the ends of the piece of material of which the buckle frame is formed.

various changes and modifications are considered to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:--

1'. A slide buckle, comprising a frame made of a piece of material formed to appropriate shape and including a 'transversetop bar in which the ends of said piece of material meet, said ends 'secured together'by butt-welding and the burr thus 'formed extending circumferentially around said ends and standing off from said bar and forming a circumscribing projection thereon, and a clamping plate bent transversely upon itself and embracing the top bar in the bend as a pivot projecting angularly from the body of the plate and having its extremity serrated to afford means for engaging and holding a strap at any point of adjustment.

2. A slide buckle, having a frame of wire folded between its ends to form a transverse upper bar the terminais ofwhich are butted and welded together, the weld forming a burr extending circumferentially around said bar and standing off from it and forming a circumscribing projection thereon, and a clamping plate of sheet metal having'a slot in its central longitudinal portion and said plate bent transversely across said slot and around and'pivotally applied to the upper bar and the walls of said slot engaging said projection, said clampingplate being of less width than the inside transverse dimensions of the frame and applicable to frames of different widths.

3. A slide buckie, having a frame of wire folded between its ends to form a transverse upper bar the terminals of which are butted and welded together, the weld forming a burr extending circumferentially around said bar and standing oif from it and forming a circumscribing projection thereon, and a clamping plate of sheet metal bent upon itself transversely and slotted longitudinally across such bend and straddlng said upper bar, the walls of said slot engaging said projection to center the plate within the frame, said plate having one portion curved inwardly toward the body of the plate and constituting a finger piece and the other portion standing off angularly from the body and provided with a toothed edge to grip a strap threaded through the buckle. i

4. A slide buckle, having a frame of wire folded between its ends to form a transverse upper bar the terminals of which are butted and welded together, the weid forming a burr extending circumferentially around said bar and standing off from it and forming a circumscribing projection thereon, and a clamping plate of sheet metal bent 'upon itself transversely and slotted longitudinally across suchbend and straddlingsaid upper bar, the walls of said siot engaging said projection to center the plate within the frame,

'said plate having one portion curved inwardly toward the body of the plate and constituting a finger piece and the other portion standing off angularly from the body and provided with a toothed edge to grip a strap threaded through the buckle, the finger piece when in clamped position overlying the toothed portion.

5. A slide buckle, having a rame of wire folded between its ends to forma transverse upper bar the terminals of which are butted and welded together, the weid forming a burr extendirg circumferentialiy around said bar and standing oi from it and forming a circumscribing projection thereon, and a clamping plate of sheet metal bent upon itself transversely and slotted longitudinal 'ly across such bend and straddling said'upper bar, the walls of said slot engaging said projection to center the plate within the frame and position it laterally within the frame; said plate having one portion curved inwardly toward the body of the plate and constituting a finger piece and the other portion standing ofi angularly from the body and provided with a toothed edge to grip a strapthreaded through the buckle.,

` ROBERT J. HODGE; 

